Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems 861v6 experiences

The 861v5 was an internal version number used at Meridian; I think it was to do with some component changes but it was still marketed as a v4.

The promised and long awaited apodising V4 will just be a firmware update.

Carl.

I assume the v4 does not have as much processing power as the v6?
I read on one of these threads that the more Mips you throw at apodising the better the result?
Thus i wonder if the apodising update on the v4 will be as effective as the v6 or even the HD621?
Will be interesting to do comparisons when Meridian update the V4.

Nope, As far as we can tell the 861v4 and 861v6 have the same horse power.
I was supprised by this, I would have thought given the re-design that more powerfull upto date DSP chips would have been fitted.

A HD621 v 861v6 apodising would be an interesting test to perform mind.

Carl.

Someone I know and trust (and with the proper access to information) told me that he HD621 would win that battle...remember, apodizing is best when doen as early as possible....hmmmmmm

I would also hope that apodizing would be offered for the 800 as a firmware update.

I finally got my 861v6 set up and have had a few days to listen to it.
The following is a short summary of my early findings/opinions of the upgrade from v4:
The v6 was packaged very nicely and even included a cloth bag around it. The new manual is impressive looking as it has a hard back cover. The contents were much less helpful than the v4 as Mconfig details, room correction instructions etc. are not included. Being a long time M owner made this a non issue for me BUT for someone new to M I think it would make one very dependent on your dealer to totally set up the unit and have you be calling them for every bit of help(of course they could come to this board for help).
The nice thing for me is the v6 works exactly like the v4 so setup was straight forward. The only thing I was disappointed in was the lack of a Bluray button on the remote (or a replacement key for it)-- does anyone still have a VCR in their setup let alone 2!
As for the listening impressions:
First off I will say that adding the HD621 to the v4 was a huge improvement as I watch more movies these days than I do listen to music.
I use the 800v3 with SPDIF(MHR) going into the v4 and now the v6 and lately have used the Oppo via HDMI into the HD621 for music also(I use it extensively for Bluray).
On the v4 I still preferred the 800 for all music but with the v6 I was amazed at the improvement on the Oppo for music. I am hearing more detail in the midrange and the bass is tighter. I am not sure why but I suspect the MMHR SL connection was the reason. I would say the Oppo surpassed the 800 (sad to say for the 800) for music. The 800 into the v6 sounded as good or maybe slightly better than with the v4 but was lacking some of the detail that the Oppo had.
As for Bluray movies I would say that the v6 was another moderate improvement using the Oppo and HD621 into the v6(again I suspect because of the SL connection from the HD621 to the v6).
I am thinking that the HD621 is doing the apodizing and upsampling in this chain and the only place that the v6 apodizes is when I use the 800->861. If that is wrong someone can correct me. In the 800 the display shows 88k and the 861 shows MHR Music2 88K for redbook CD's and the yellow lights are on -- on the speakers (or the dots for older speakers).
I will be doing many more listening tests (maybe trying the Oppo direct to the v6 amongst other things)and seeing what differences I hear and report further.I also want to try the +3db experiment on the DSP's.
I may be one of the first to report on an all DSP setup and overall I am very happy with the v6 and feel it is worth the upgrade. Of course these tests are from memory and not a direct comparison between the two units but I have spent many hours with the v4 and listened to some very familiar material on the v6. Regards
Joe

Joe-C, thanks for sharing your impressions. When you use CD from The 800, the 800 will upsample and not the 861v6. If you turn off upsampling in 800 then your 861v6 would kick in its apodizing upsampling and would show 44.1k.

Crion
Thanks for the info. I actually had that on my list to do (turning off upsampling in the 800) and listening to it that way. Am I correct in thinking that the 861 was still apodizing even without upsampling?

Thanks Joe for the report.
If you want to make a fair comparement between the Oppo and the 800,
you have to turn the 800 upsampling off.
Now you are compare a CD with standard(no apodizing) upsampling in the 800 with a CD
played in the Oppo and have the apodizing upsampling in the v6.
Can you turn the upsampling in the 800 off and compare the Oppo and 800 again?

When you turn on the diagnostic display in the Mconfig,
you can look for the audio stream.
When you play a CD, you can see on the display if the HD621 make the apodizing upsample or the 861V6.

Was the Bluray music/comparement with a natural hires signal, means more then 48kHz and more then 20 bits?
When that is true, the v6 itself could be the reason for the improvement(mybe better dejittering)
or the SL between the HD621 and v6, or the SL beetween the v6 and the DSP/AC12.

Looking at your signature, you have standard 8k- not 8k2.
That means you have the AC12 invalved now and with the v4 the standard SPDIF.
Is that true?
Where you have placed the AC12(how many)-near the v6 or near the speaker?
Can you tell me the cable lenghts for each front speaker from the v6 to the AC12(SL) and from the AC12 to the standard 8k(SPDIF).

Joe I guess you have upsampled in the 800 before with your V4-
are there any improvement (only for that combination with the 800) between the v4 and the v6 ?

Joe , can you also make the DAC resolution test?

Thanks again

Robert

You can read about Joe's AC12/861 v6 problems/solutions HERE

Thanks for the info.
But there is no solution how Joe finally makes it.

You need to read the AC12 thread starting HERE.